Baby It's Cold Outside
by That-Cheeky-Bat
Summary: Nicholas St. North tells Jack a tale before his time. Specifically about how a Blizzard kept one E. Aster Bunnymund from getting to his Warren and how North had to distract his ally, comrade...friend, from going out to his death by providing hospitality, drinks and a game of checkers. What North got, in return, was a little more knowledge on his peculiar friend.


**Disclaimer**: Don't own RotG or Guardians of Childhood.

**A/N**: So...this was actually really fun to write. Young North and Book Bunnymund guys! No smut, just friends hanging out (and a mention of a certain bloody song that _**NEVER**_fails to get stuck in my head around end of November...). Also hey look, I didn't do smut again lol.

Leave reviews please! I worked kinda hard on this one and I'd really like it if people left me reviews :)

* * *

Jack was pacing around the workshop after one of the recently required Guardians meetings. It had been an especially short one with Christmas just on the horizon, but it was still filled to the brim with updates from each Guardian. It started with Sandy who did his usual pictographic display with sand over his head that had Jack in a fit of excitement as he took up playing Pictionary—egged on by the Guardian of dreams to the point where North had had to calm the two troublesome beings down. It was followed after by Tooth, who had recently retrieved the rest of the teeth that had been lost along the way of being stolen. Bunny had been next, informing them all that his believers were slowly returning and he could feel a smaller kick to his power base. Then it had ended with North who had seemed fairly distracted with the imminent rush of Christmas followed shortly by him giving a broken update to them.

They'd split, Bunny stalling enough to converse with Jack for a few moments, and by converse Jack meant Bunny playfully prodding at him with jokes and insults. He had eventually left and Jack was left within the workshop with North who was beginning to fray around his normally boisterous edges. Jack, though, wanted to see if he could help North afterwards and had done all of his Winter work ahead of time before he'd shown up to the meeting.

He'd taken a liking to North, saw the man as a father figure and took to heart the knowledge that through the entire battle with Pitch—_he_ was the only one who didn't jump to conclusions when Jack had shown up in England with his tooth container. North had been distraught, yes, but he hadn't pitted the blame on him like the others had—hadn't been so quick on the draw. He'd _seen_ something in Jack that Jack hadn't even known was there, had _proven_ to Jack that he could do so much more and seemed to be breaking his back nurturing that idea as Jack spent more and more time at the workshop with him.

It was what made Jack tuck away his naturally troublesome self and offer to help—in any way possible. He'd been taken on by Phil just the other day and taught how to properly wrap a present compared to his haphazard attempt he had shown off with pride.

Today it would appear that he was needed in North's study, the place where he did all of his major sculptures before they were turned into toys outside by the Yeti's. Jack jumped up onto the large desk and set away to helping keep a clump of ice especially cold for North. North would give him directions every few moments and Jack would heed them without question. It soon became quiet within the workroom as North was finally able to settle onto the block of ice on his lonesome, leaving Jack to sit and wait to see if he was needed again.

Jack glanced around, head in the clouds, before he began humming the earworm he always attracted this time of the year. It never failed. Every year, right at the edge of November and into Christmas, the same song, since the day he'd heard it, popped into his head. He settled away to humming it, watching as North worked before he slowed and turned a humor filled gaze over to Jack.

"You and Bunny seem to be bridging friendship." North stated, leaning forward and chipping away at the block of ice.

Jack shrugged even though North couldn't see it since he'd gone back to work before he cleared his throat when he realized North hadn't seen his shrug. "Oh, yea. Well, we're _trying_ that is. Is he _always_ that much of an ass, or is he just socially awkward?"

North burst out laughing, recovering after a healthy bout of laughter. "He has gotten better of late, believe it or not."

"Really? _That's_ better?" Jack asked with disbelief. "How is _that_ better?"

North glanced over to Jack with a smirk. "Jack, there was time when Bunny went by the name Bunnymund—frequently reminded me of it—but of course I never listened. I preferred the pet name Bunny or rabbit-man. Is funny to watch him twitch when one calls him that. He used to wear green robe and silly egg glasses. He also used staff as a weapon and spoke differently, had _much_ more pomp than he normally does now. Back then he hadn't had contact with anyone for awhile, came off as snobby…know it all. Frequently spoke everything that crossed his mind whether it be inappropriate, insulting or just a plain observation." North glanced over to Jack who grinned and nodded for him to continue. North smirked and nodded as he set back to work as he weaved his tale. "Well, one afternoon it was especially cold outside and Bunny was in rush to get back to Warren for I don't know what reason, but the blizzard outside was monstrous. To step out into it would be sure death. I had to use a few tricks to get him to stay—

**zZzZz**

"Nicholas I need to get back to my Warren." Bunnymund said with an irritated and clipped tone. "I don't have time to sit here in your workshop."

North, at the time, was thirty five years old in physical age, but was bordering on two hundred plus by this point, and _used_ to the clipped and usually irritated tone of one E. Aster Bunnymund. He was used to the rabbit-man being pressingly insistent about getting to his Warren for this private matter or that, but this year he wasn't going to hear of it. Not with _that_ blizzard outside. Underground tunnels or not, North would feel exponentially better if Bunnymund would _stay_ put for once and just _relax_.

Especially because North, though he'd never admit it to the rabbit-man's face, was very fond of him and cared deeply for the last of the Pooka Brotherhood.

They weren't just comrades in arms anymore. They were true, devoted, friends _and_ family—no matter _how_ much Bunnymund claimed that two separate species couldn't be 'family'.

North spent another two to three minutes trying to get the nervous rabbit-man to sit down and _stop _that pacing he'd taken too of late. North rolled his eyes and straightened with a thought, a smirk adorning his features. What better way to get someone who is usually so tense and tightly wound to loosen up than to imbibe in a few drinks? North chuckled, heading over to the bar and grabbing up his favorite bottle of Bourbon, deciding it would taste better with the Eggnog than his favorite brand of Vodka, before he nabbed up a couple of glasses from a passing elf and gave each drink a healthy portion of Bourbon.

Bunnymund knew North was up to something. The Cossack was _always_ up to something, but his attentions were elsewhere. He worried about his Easter preparations, fretted over his egg warriors and was just generally anxious about the weather that didn't seem to want to _let_ _up_. As it was he currently stood near the hearth of North's 'North Pole'. The entire City, which was a lot like an interconnected series of buildings, was of North's imagination. It was established when they had all thrown their powers together and made the entire place a reality. It was impressive, and with Pitch down and out for awhile Bunnymund had _other_ things to worry about. Mainly: Easter, and this _storm_.

He let out a quick growl of irritation when North gave his shoulder a light bump and held out a glass of Eggnog. Bunnymund rolled his eyes, smelling the rancid Bourbon within that North had tried to hide but failed, taking the glass and holding it as he crossed his arms and glared through his egg shaped glasses at the blizzard outside.

"Relax, drink. I will not let you leave until storm has let up." North stated, adding to it by poking one of Bunnymund's ears—as per usual.

Bunnymund twitched his ear in irritation, knowing his Human companion was doing it only because he knew it annoyed him. Bunnymund sighed, shaking his head at the storm outside and turning.

"I need to leave before it gets any worse out there and I _am_ stuck with _you_ for a companion for an unforeseen amount of time." Bunnymund handed the glass back to North, or tried too, before North simply raised a brow.

"You. Sit." North stated, pointing a finger at the couch and frowning towards Bunnymund. "Drink Eggnog, enjoy it for moment and _then_ you can go, dah? Bourbon keep you warm and keep you from becoming rabbit-man popsicle."

"I wouldn't turn into a popsicle, that's not even possi—"

Bunnymund didn't get to finish, instead North took his glass and gave him a firm shove. Bunnymund's rear hit the couch and he fell into a sitting position, nose scrunching in distaste as North shoved that _damned_ glass of Eggnog laced Bourbon at him again—and yes, by how much Bourbon North had poured into the concoction it _was_ Bourbon laced with Eggnog, not the other way around.

"Fine. _One_ drink, but then I must leave. I am both anxious to get home and feeling as if I have well past overstayed my welcome." Bunnymund insisted with that clipped air again.

North rolled his eyes, copping a squat next to Bunnymund and carefully watching as his friend and brother in arms tentatively tipped the glass to his lips and winced. North laughed.

"Rabbit-man—"

"_Bunnymund_, how many times—"

"—Have you never _drank_ alcohol before?"

"—do I have to reiterate my _name_? And _no_ I do not…drink." Bunnymund winced again as he took another sip, his fur standing on end with goose bumps from the heat of the liquid while his insides warmed. "Its bad enough the amount of chocolate I've had to ingest over the past few battles. That's knocking my intelligence down enough I don't need to add to it by ingesting alcohol as well."

North snorted, rolling his eyes and letting a light smirk cross his features. "Dah, you have been using a lot of chocolate, but I believe you are…what is saying now? Blowing out of proportion the effects?"

Bunnymund shot into an erect position in outrage. "I am _not_ blowing it out of proportion!" Bunnymund clamped his lips shut, turning his gaze away from the wide eyed—at first—North before he caught a glimpse of a smirk on North's face. Bunnymund cleared his throat, gathering himself again and settling himself. "As I said, I am not blowing it out of proportion. It is perfectly within my ability to take into account how much chocolate I have been ingesting of late and its adverse effects on my…_mental_ capacity."

"Bah!" North poked Bunnymund's ear again. "You are just acting more Human, is nothing wrong with that."

"To act Human is to be too entertwined with one's emotions, North. To act first out of rage is _not_ a proper—"

"Bah!" North waved his hand into the air and made a dusting off motion. He lifted his glass of Bourbon laced Eggnog and shrugged after imbibing in a heavy gulp. "I like _this_ version of you better. Much more…_life_ to you this way, make better drinking buddy."

Bunnymund rolled his eyes under his glasses, scolding himself again for letting yet another emotion slip through and blaming it on the Bourbon…because it had to be the two small sips of Bourbon doing this to him, right?

"North, you have proven that you are a good man but you are _ruled_ by your emotions. You charge into things without the proper _thought_ to consequences or outcomes." Bunnymund lectured, letting out a surprised honk when North knocked his glass against his.

"Rabbit-man, you are too nervous about everything. Sometimes there is not _room_ to think first before one acts." North glanced away briefly, finishing off his glass and pushing to stand with a slight wobble.

Bunnymund smirked briefly at seeing North weave towards his bar again to pour himself another Bourbon and Eggnog concoction while he grabbed up the Yeti's Moon cookies. Bunnymund watched as North set down the Bourbon and cookies before he went back and snatched up the Eggnog and brought it as well. North slapped the container down onto the table and put his hands on his hips, pitting a dilated pupiled look towards Bunnymund before narrowing his eyes.

"Come, Bunnymund, _drink_. Blizzard is _not_ letting up and I will not have you walking outside." North stated sharply, surprising even his inebriated self with his sharp tone. "We talk, stragegize, speak of fighting styles and weapons or we can do nothing more than sit and enjoy the quiet of the workshop."

Bunnymund raised a brow. Quiet…of the _workshop_? He turned his gaze over his shoulder, hearing the consistent noises of machines, the sharp cracks of hammers or tools and the constant grunting speech of the Yeti's along with the jangling of the Elves running about with the Yeti's hats adorning their forms. He turned back to North, letting out a sigh and taking a healthy gulp of the Bourdon, followed by a sharp wince and shiver as the heat of the drink wormed it way down to his stomach.

He really didn't _mind_ the drink, but he was _well_ aware of what it would do to him.

North stepped away when Bunnymund, in the semblance of quiet that was North's workshop, set away to drinking his drink. North dug about through the shelves, digging through until he found Chinese checkers and pulled it down. He sauntered over to the table and grabbed up a pillow, sinking down into it and laying the board between them on the table. He made another round of drinks, Bunnymund and him setting away to a game of checkers that always had North starting the attack and Bunnymund rightfully defending it—Bunnymund winning four out of five games before the alcohol within his system began to take effect.

North watched as Bunnymund took of his glasses, folding them and placing them with care into his pocket, a pair of vivid green eyes flicking to North and making him tilt his head.

"Green eyes." North stated.

"A rarity, Ah'm—" Bunnymund cleared his throat and North leaned forward, swearing for a second that he'd heard Bunnymund, _Bunnymund_ of all beings, with an _accent_. "—I'm aware."

North scooted forward onto his pillow with a grin adorning his face, acting just like his center and staring towards Bunnymund with wonder. "Was that accent I heard?"

"No!" Bunnymund snapped, sitting forward and glowering.

"It was!" North barked out a sharp laugh before he leaned forward onto the table. "Come, next game old friend."

Bunnymund warily looked towards North before he nodded, resetting the pieces on the board and letting loose a yawn that looked more rabbit than man. North cocked a curious brow, inherently _loving_ the fact that he'd managed to talk Bunnymund—someone he knew little about considering they'd fought through countless battles by this point against Pitch—into staying for awhile. North would admit that his curiosity towards Bunnymund was insatiable.

"May I ask how often you eat?" North started.

"Same as you, North." Bunnymund replied in a short tone. "Three meals a day if I can fit it in."

North smirked, hearing a tilt to Bunnymund's usually regal voice. "Bathe?"

Bunnymund halted for a moment, that piercing green gaze flicked to North's before he shook his head, ears falling backwards. North straightened on the pillow, surprised to see what he swore was embarrassment on his comrade's face.

"Ah—" Bunnymund cleared his throat again. "_I_ take baths just like you as well, but nothing beats a good tongue bath."

North slapped a hand to his mouth in an attempt to mute the chuckle that threatened to escape, but it got out anyways. Bunnymund let loose a sharp growl of distaste before his ears shot forward with indignity.

"_This_ is why I keep to myself. _My_ mannerisms are not the same as _yours_." Bunnymund snapped, irritability shooting through his tone. "Why do you think I keep myself to my Warren?"

North waved his hands in air between them, still snorting out sharp laughs before he shook his head. "My friend, my _brother_, you misunderstand. Idea…is funny, no? But is also natural for you, so you should not feel embarrassed or ashamed by it." North ran his hand over his beard with a smirk. "Shaving for me, for example. I need to take great care in what I do. Without beard I look…_odd_, too young—is embarrassing when I make mistake, or even shave crookedly."

Bunnymund shook his head. "It's _not_ the same, North."

"Bah!" North flicked his hand out again between them. "Is same routine. Bathing, grooming—all are things that must be done to keep self from smelling like Petrov's pie's. "

Bunnymund snorted out a sharp laugh, jarring North and making him grin when he realized he had made the stiff, arrogant, pompous and highly intelligent rabbit-man who _rarely_ showed emotions _laugh_. North clapped his hands together, pouring a new set of drinks and enjoying Bunnymund's company just a little more than he had before. To his surprise Bunnymund also reached forward and took up the glass willingly this time instead of North having to shove the glass into his hand and ask him to drink.

"What is diet?" North asked next.

"Fairly similar to yours." Bunnymund stated, tilting his head. "Not as much meat, in fact there is very little else I regurgitate—"

"You vomit? I was unaware." North stated, earning a glare from Bunnymund for interrupting.

"Yes I _vomit_. I also talk and walk on two feet." Bunnymund added, making North bark out a sharp laugh at, of all things _joke_ coming from his friend's muzzle. Bunnymund smirked briefly, his green eyes twinkling with mirth. "North, mate—" North's brows rose before Bunnymund cleared his throat again, "—_Nicholas_ aside from a few meager changes to my diet it is essentially the same as yours. Except milk. I need to stay with soy."

North nodded, proceeding to ask a few more questions and watching as his tightly wound friend relaxed and settled into a comfortable position on the couch. They continued chatting, complimenting each other on moves as they moved the colored marbles about the board and spoke of each other's past while intermixing it with questions pertaining to each other's thoughts on certain subjects—like if there was ever going to be another Guardian.

"Bah, we will see." North waved his hand while Bunnymund shrugged.

"I wouldn't mind another being, in all honesty. Long as they are a right fit." Bunnymund stated with a air of—North swore—wistfulness.

Another smirk cracked across North's face. "Well we will see. You did not take well to _us_ when you joined."

"I'm aware." Bunnymund admitted. "And I am also aware it was an imbecilic notion. You, Queen Toothiana—"

"She prefers Tooth."

"—Ombric, Katherine…Nightlight. You have all become my family, as much as I hate to admit that seeing as we are not—" Bunnymund jerked when North plucked a marble at him.

"Family does not need genetic connection, _Bunny_." North smirked.

Bunnymund glowered. "Hm. A new pet name to annoy me with I see."

"I like it." North stated, lifting a hand with a smirk and motion towards all of Bunnymund. "Remove coat and glasses and what have we got? A Bunny. Oversized, but a Bunny."

Bunnymund lifted a paw and shook his index finger towards North. "Not just _any_ Bunny, mate. A _Pooka_, one with a kick that hurts and six armed chocolate he's thinking about using on his friend."

North laughed at the threat. "So tell me, what else is there comrade?"

Bunnymund shrugged, leaning back and sighing. "Well…there's that rut that happens—" North watched as Bunnymund straightened, clearing his throat and shaking his head. "Never mi—"

"Rut? _Rut_?" North smirked. "Come now, what is _rut_?"

Bunnymund narrowed his eyes. "Forget I said anything."

North watched as Bunnymund took a large gulp of his drink, deciding to drop the subject when the air shifted unpleasantly between them before he just couldn't help but hedge the subject when it cleared.

"Rut?"

Bunnymund sighed, rolling his eyes. "Should have figured you'd have not let that go."

North shrugged. "Is natural?"

Bunnymund, surprisingly, shrugged this time. "It's supposed to be natural, but seeing as I haven't ran into another of my kind—let alone someone to spark my interest enough—it is nothing more than a raindrop in a lake."

"By which you mean…?" North asked, moving one of his marbles forward and watching as Bunnymund's wheels turned in his furred head, his brows knitting together and making it look as if his markings were sprouting from the gathered brows.

"By which I _mean_ that shortly after Easter I'm more inclined to my bestial side than I am my intellectual side. Does not happen frequently mind you. Once every hundred years is our cycle, but it is rather difficult to concentrate with it hedging one's thoughts."

"I would not think Rabbit-men went into heat." North murmured, swearing in Russian when Bunnymund countered his _long_ term plan in a simple move.

"It is not a _heat_ it is a _rut_. One is for does, females; the other is for bucks, males." Bunnymund corrected, sounding once again like his Professor self.

North grunted. "Why every hundred years?"

"We have _long_ life spans, Nicholas. We live far longer than any other being because our goal is to settle planets and cultivate them for life. That takes time, which is exactly why we live for so long. Not only that but every century our kits from the previous mating have grown to maturity, flushing out the pool and allowing for the beings who were unable to find a Mate to try again." Bunnymund shrugged. "It _was_ the way we worked, anyways. Now there is only me."

North glanced up to Bunnymund, shocked to see a hedging of a tear to his eye before it was blinked away. Bunnymund grabbed up his glass and downed it, setting the glass on the table and making another face.

"I must say, that is one of the most disgusting things I have imbibed in." Bunnymund groaned as North laughed, leaning forward and pouring another glass.

"We have _long_ time to wait, _Bunny_." North watched as he was glowered at again. "Enjoy break, relax."

Bunnymund sighed and nodded, lifting the glass and taking another gulp as he picked up a marble and moved it, making North throw his hands up and let out a disgruntled shout of disbelief as Bunnymund once again won with one slick move.

Another five games of Chinese checkers, which Bunnymund's win streak had dipped by one leaving North to take two wins and three losses, before they were lounging in front of the hearth winding down. The wind snapped against the windows outside, flakes of snow hitting the windows and every so often a chilled gust of wind sliced through the normally warm air.

Bunnymund had loosened the neck of his robe, hadn't glanced towards his staff that he had propped against the corner and his eyes were drooping every so often.

"I must say, North, this is a rather cozy room you made." Bunnymund stated, looking as if he had been trying to speak in order to stave off the drowsiness that seemed to be clawing at him.

North shrugged. "Seeing as we have had countless visitors at Big Root, figured warm meeting place needed."

"Good call." Bunnymund murmured, wrapping his arms around himself and turning his drooping gaze to the fire, his green eyes sparkling in the darkness.

North stood, heading to the side where he kept a row of thick blankets within a dresser and tugged one out. He carried it over to Bunnymund, settling it over his friend's shoulder and clapping his shoulder with a warm squeeze before he turned to leave—freezing when he felt the roughened pad of Bunnymund's paw on the top of his hand.

"Stay?" Bunnymund murmured.

North's throat clenched at that hurt tone his friend's voice held, realizing quickly that his normally strong, independent comrade, was in a rare need for companionship. North smiled lightly, jumping over the back of the couch and earning a surprised honk from Bunnymund as he looped his left arm around Bunnymund's blanket covered shoulders and tugged him into his side with a wide grin.

"Of course I stay! Who else would bother you should I go?" North asked, poking Bunnymund's ear and earning a chuckle from him.

"This is true Nicholas." Bunnymund sighed in what sounded like relief, tilting into North's side with time before North felt Bunnymund's full weight against him.

North sat for a moment feeling the warmth that Bunnymund exuded. He quirked a smirk when Bunnymund started humming something catchy.

"What…are you singing?" North asked.

"Song that hasn't been made yet." Bunnymund replied lazily, his words slurring with sleep and from the alcohol in his system.

"What is name of song?"

"Baby its Cold Outside." Bunnymund replied followed by a shrug. "Just reminded me of this situation. Blizzard outside…it's freezin'…you coaxing me into staying in order to avoid the cold. Though I must admit the lyrics do get a bit risqué."

North laughed. "What are lyrics?"

"I really can't stay." Bunnymund murmured, switching his tone a bit on the next section, "But baby, it's cold outside…"

North nudged Bunnymund. "Go on."

Bunnymund snorted. "I've got to go away. But baby, it's cold outside."

"Is it duet?"

"Mhm." Bunnymund smirked. "This evening had been—Been hoping that you'd drop in—sooo _very_ nice, I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice…"

North sat there, the lyrics trailing off into unintelligible garble before Bunnymund did nothing more than hum the song before it turned into the lazy, deep breathing, of sleep.

North smirked, rubbing his left hand along Bunnymund's shoulder and propping himself onto his elbow. He adjusted slightly, head tilting backwards and let sleep encase him as well. When he woke up he was covered in the blanket that had been around Bunnymund, a chocolate egg sitting in the center of the checker board with a small note:

_Thank you, Nicholas, for being my friend_.

North smiled, clapping his hands together and setting away to inhaling the egg before he cleaned up his mess and began harranging the Yeti's for updates on his inventions, glancing out into the bright sunlight outside and knowing, in his belly, that Bunnymund was safely home in his Warren.

**zZzZz**

Jack's eyes were wide, a shit eating grin of absolute mischief adorning his features. "So you two had fun?"

North shrugged, hearing Bunny shout for him. North turned, watching as Jack shot from the room on a gust of wind, snowflakes flitting through the air after his wake, before Bunny's indignant shout for North could he heard again—yelling about giving the 'Troublesome Frostbite' ammunition.

"Gets him from my hair." North stated with a laugh, relieved to be able to work in peace without Jack lingering on the sidelines.

He appreciated Jack's want to help, he did, but it actually hampered his work having someone within his personal workspace—that and Bunny needed to bond with Jack anyways. North chuckled, hearing Jack sing out the beginning of the song and hearing that irritated groan from Bunny that ended with a tongue lashing before the wet sound of one of Jack's snowballs sounded, followed by a laugh from Bunny.

North closed the door on the out of tune duo, rolling his eyes as they crooned about how cold it was outside.

End!


End file.
